This invention relates generally to displays and dispensers, and more particularly to a dispenser used to display and dispense tickets, such as lottery tickets.
Lottery ticket dispensers are well known in the art. Reference can be made to any of the U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 319,264, Des. 329,877, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,858,806, 4,995,507, 5,100,038 and 5,111,939, all to Schafer, as representative prior art in this field. Of these patents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,939 (the '939 patent) is the most pertinent.
The '939 patent discloses a box-like display and dispensing unit capable of being stacked with other identically constructed units. Each unit has a front wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, opposite side walls and an opening created by the top, bottom and side walls at the rear of the unit. A cover is hingedly connected to the side walls adjacent the bottom wall for moving between an open position in which the cover swings away from the opening and a closed position in which the cover blocks the opening. A horizontal slot is formed in the cover through which tickets are dispensed. A pair of horizontally disposed rollers, each positioned adjacent the slot, are rotatably attached to the cover for enhancing the dispensing of tickets from the unit. The cover is further provided with a key lock cylinder for locking the cover in its closed position to the top wall of the unit.
While the unit described in the '939 patent is generally effective for its intended purpose, it does suffer from several shortcomings. First of all, it is difficult when the cover is locked in place in its closed position to manipulate tickets contained within the unit without opening the cover. Second, the rollers are ineffective in applying sufficient pressure on the ticket extending therethrough to prevent the ticket from moving backwards through the slot and into the unit. Thirdly, when placing units in stacked relation, the opening of the cover of one unit obstructs the cover and tickets of the unit located directly below the unit.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present lottery ticket dispensers. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an improved dispenser directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.